Things Are Not Always What They Seem
by MayRaven
Summary: The plot thickens(I love saying that)Story begins with Sarah packing her toys away when a certain item catches her offguard. Now Toby is missing and Jareth is being awfully helpful.
1. Boxes, Toys and Books

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Author's Note: Hello readers. This is my first Labyrinth Fanfiction and I would like to say that this comes from movie inspiration as well as little bits and pieces I've picked up about the movie from fellow fans. For example, Sarah's mother was an actress. I've chosen to do this a la sequel by sorts as if it is taking place this year and all that. Ok that's all! Hope you like! Please review! Oh and it will be in parts with cliffhangersJ 

"Things Are Not Always What They Seem"

Sarah sat in her childhood bedroom surrounded by boxes and a mess of toys and knick-knacks. She hadn't spent much time in this room since she'd gone off to college. Now her father and stepmother were moving and it was time to pack it all and say goodbye. 

Sarah had her dark hair pulled up in a bun. Crouching on her knees she rummaged through the disaster. She thought she could make things go faster by dumping everything on the floor within reach of the boxes. Sadly all this did was give her the chance to sit comfortably and stew in nostalgia with ever teddy bear, game and book. She didn't think it would be so hard to let go of things she hadn't seen in years, as she was now almost thirty. Sighing, Sarah lay another bear in the closest box.

As she picked up a rag doll to her left she noticed a red book cover underneath some other objects. It was her copy of 'Labyrinth', her most coveted play from her early adolescence. A smile played across her face as she held the dogged-eared paperback in her hands. She flipped through it slowly, the smell of old books and old memories filled her senses. When she reached the end of the pages Sarah stopped and hovered over the lines, 'though your kingdom is great…You have no power over me.'

The young woman rolled her eyes and tossed the book into the cardboard box as though it suddenly lost all significant value to her. Although Sarah remember that night she'd wished away her baby brother she no longer believed her adventure in the labyrinth was anything more than a vivid nightmare. Everything in her room, which she now packed away, suggested it. 

She'd already wrapped up the bookend that suspiciously resembled a certain dwarf and a stuffed toy fox with an eye-patch. The most convicting piece of evidence from the room, a statuette of the Goblin King who had always smiled malevolently at her from her vanity, had broken years earlier. To be more exact, Sarah had thrown it against the wall and it shattered into pieces the morning after the labyrinth nightmare. 

Since that time she'd studied psychology and felt that all these objects of her own possession had entered her subconscious and caused her to dream about that she was inside the very play she would read again and again. What a silly girl she'd been.

Still, no man in her life had impacted her the way that Jareth had. At fourteen she'd been too young to feel any attraction or anything romantic about the mysterious man, but it didn't stop her daydreaming. Even though he frightened her, she'd always felt an intense connection to him…At least until she woke-up and reminded herself that he wasn't real. 

Just then a teenage Toby knocked on her open door. In one hand he held an old scrapbook. "Hey you busy, sis?"

"No, what's up? What you got there?" she asked noticing the large album.

"Oh," Toby said lifting the book to his sister. "This is yours. I don't know why but somehow it ended up in my room."

Sarah took the book and let it fall open. The pages were covered in newspaper clippings and photographs. This was the scrapbook she'd kept on her mother and her acting career. Her eyes moved over every article, her fingers touching the old paper. 

"Why on earth would this be in your room? I've been looking for this for years."

Toby shrugged. Then his attention was taken by something falling out of the book. He picked it up and turned it over. It was a photo of a man with fair hair, arms wrapped around Sarah's mother. "Who is that? One of your mom's old boyfriend's?"

Sarah leaned over and took the picture from her brother. She stared at it for a moment and then it clicked. She went pale. "This was the photograph I kept on my vanity mirror," she said. "One day it just seemed to go missing. I thought maybe the wind had blow it behind something."

"What's wrong Sarah? You don't look so good," Toby said placing a concerned hand on her shoulder.

"It's just, he looks just like _him_."

Toby squinted in confusion. "Who? What do you mean?"

"Jareth…"

TBC…

(Oh come on…all you crazies like me saw that photo…it was him.)


	2. A photograph and familiar face

Author's Note: Here are parts 2 and 3…Enjoy!

Sarah had told Toby the story of the Labyrinth a hundred times. Her quest as a young girl to make her way to the castle at the centre of the labyrinth to rescue her baby brother. Toby had always loved the story because he'd always felt a part of it, like Sarah, even though he had only been a year old. It was their little secret. 

She explained to him that Jareth was the Goblin King. After a moment it was like a light went on inside his head. "You mean in the play."

"Exactly."

"So this guy played Jareth?" he pointed to the photo.

"Exactly. No. Not exactly." Sarah didn't know how to tell him without upsetting him. "He actually was Jareth. I mean that story…the one I used to tell you, to frighten you…when you were baby, well this is the man who took you that night."

Toby laughed awkwardly. "No way. Stop joking." Sarah shook her head and swore she wasn't joking. Toby grabbed the picture from her and stared into the man's eyes. One looked darker than the other and suddenly that smile was all too familiar. "Oh god." He felt sick. For some reason he could actually recollect the sound of Jareth voice in his head.

"Why the hell was that in _my_ room?" demanded Toby. Throwing the photo down like it just bit him. 

"I don't know. Look just because it looks like him…It could be coincidence. Like all my toys, if this picture was on my vanity and I saw it all the time then that's why he looked like that!" Sarah picked up the photo and placed it back between the pages of the scrapbook. "Besides Toby it was only a dream!"

Toby took his sister by both shoulders. "It was not a dream, Sarah!" Now they were both shooting. "I can remember things too, and not because you told me. My imagination is not as strong as yours. Do you know how many times I hear an owl at night and have nightmares about him coming to take me back!?" The intensity in his eyes and voice was frightening. "He said he wanted to name me 'Jareth', that I had his eyes! Now did you make _that_ up?"

Sarah was almost in tears. "No," she said standing and moving across the room. "Fine what if it _did_ happen? It couldn't possibly happen again. I beat him, fair and square at his own game."

"But what is 'fair', Sarah? What is your basis of comparison?"

Sarah, wide-eyed and unblinking turned on Toby. "What did you just say?" Toby shook his head. What had he just said? "Where did you hear that?'

"What are you talking about?" Toby moved away from Sarah as if she would attack him. 

Sarah closed her eyes tightly. She knew if she didn't calm down she would end up back in therapy. "Nothing," she said her voice quiet and even. She sighed, "Nevermind." 

Toby left her room for a minute and then returned holding an old bag of Sarah's. "I think this is yours too," he said half-heartedly and tossed into a box. Only when Toby tossed the bag a crystal sphere rolled out of it onto a pile of toys. "What's that?" he said bending to pick it up. Sarah practically jumped at her brother as though the thing was made of pure evil.

"Don't touch it!" she yelled, but it was too late. The instant the crystal was in Toby's palm he vanished and the orb fell. Luckily, it landed on a cushion of stuffed animals and didn't shatter. 

Sarah was beside herself. What should she do? Should she stay here and try to explain that her seventeen-year-old brother vanished into thin air, or take a deep breath and clasp the crystal in both hands? She decided to do the latter and in a flash of light, Sarah was gone.

TBC…


	3. Agnes

The world was not as she imagined from before. There was no desolate landscape and no intimidating labyrinth to be seen. She was standing in a brightly lit, summery meadow. Soft heather brushed against her knees beneath her long skirt. The air was sweet and fragrant. A small bridge stretched over a duck pond only a few yards away. 

Coming over the bridge Sarah saw a miniature old woman with her back in a hump. The creature was muttering to herself. Sarah went to walk closer and suddenly recognised the old woman as none other than Agnes, a trash-heap goblin who had tried to make her forget about her brother and instead remember only herself. Of course Agnes was looking better these days. Instead of garbage pilled to the sky, she carried bushels of heather, poppies and milkweed on her back. The goblin ignored Sarah as she walked by. Sarah didn't see anyone else around and had to ask someone if they knew where she was.

"Excuse me?" she called after the bobbing flower stack. "Can you tell me where I am?"

"Hmm? What?" came the muttering. Slowly the tower of blooms turned to face Sarah. "Oh? You again, is it? Hmm?" The old goblin squinted her wrinkled face. "What did you say? What is that, now?"

"I asked you if you could tell me where I am."

"This is a field, dearie, you like the flowers don't you?" The goblin pulled a poppy from her load and held it out to Sarah. "Here have a pretty poppy, put it in your hair."

Sarah obliged her and tucked the stem behind her right ear. "Thank you. I can see that this is a field, but what country is this? Is there a Castle or a labyrinth anywhere?"

"Hmm? What? Castle?" The wrinkled face wrinkled more. Then Agnes looked like she'd had an epiphany. "Oh the castle in the labyrinth?"

"Yes," Sarah said excitedly. Finally she was getting somewhere. "Do you know how I can get there?"

"Well no. It's no good, that." Sarah's face fell. "The whole thing is gone. Disappeared just like that," Agnes explained snapping her bony fingers. "Don't need a castle when nobodies playing king, do you?" Agnes turned around and began to walk her path again.

"What do you mean? Where is the king?" Sarah asked chasing after the goblin. "Why was I brought wherever I am if not to see the king?"

"How should I know, dearie?" Agnes stopped abruptly nearly causing Sarah to fall over her. "There's been no king for ages. Goblins do as goblins like. Never needed a king."

Agnes moved on and Sarah stayed still. Either this old goblin was confused or Sarah was in big trouble. What did this mean, no goblin king? And if there wasn't a labyrinth, what had happened to it? And where was Toby? 

Sarah let out a groan of frustration. Maybe the labyrinth was now just an open plain of riddles and misdirection. Seeing as there were no answers here, Sarah decided to follow Agnes to wherever she was going.

Please Review!


	4. A little spot of rain

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Author's note: Thanks to everyone who has left reviews! Keep them coming and if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them…Most of this is still establishing Sarah in her knew situation…The fun stuff should come soonJ 

Sarah seemed to follow the midget woman for ages. The soft airy meadow soon became a rocky, bare hillside. It was a good thing that Sarah had been wearing house shoes at the moment of her rash decision to rescue her brother, although they weren't meant for so much rough terrain and her feet ached. She was beginning to regret jumping into this world so quickly without any clear planning or any idea at all on how to get back, if she could even find Toby. Without great consideration, Sarah had assumed that she would appear in the exact location as Toby. She realised now that assumption in a place like the Underground would do more evil than good.

Sarah hadn't spoken to Agnes in all this time; in fact she kept her distance from the goblin. Sarah was grateful for the warm sun and blue sky. Unfortunately, as that thought formed in her head, clouds rolled in as if out of nothing and a great rumble filled the air. Sarah looked straight up when a streak of lightening split the fast falling darkness. Just then the heavens opened and it began to pour. 

"Oh no!" Sarah cried, mostly to herself. She restrained the urge to childishly yell how it wasn't fair. The rain was cold and it quickly soaked through her white blouse and blue jeans, she was thankful that her hair was still in a bun out of her face. 

The young woman bowed her head, and puled at the clinging top the garment now completely transparent showing through to her lacy bra. Seeing as the efforts to redeem her decency at this point were useless, Sarah looked ahead to check on Agnes. The old goblin peddler woman was no where to be seen.

"Great!" she yelled at the sky. "This is just great! Now what am I to do?" 

The storm answered with a deafening crack of lightening and Sarah took off running. The ground was already slick with mud and it was difficult to keep from slipping. Another cracking and lightening hit a small dead tree just a few feet to her right. Sarah jumped left and slid. Arms flailing, she went bottom first into the muck.

"Why me?" she whimpered.

She looked for something to brace herself. A good-sized rock did the trick and she was standing after two attempts. Once on her feet, Sarah glanced down at the large rock and realised it had interesting grooves carved into it. She moved back to get a better look. Despite the heavy downpour, Sarah could make out part of a face…Jareth's face.

"No king, huh?" she commenting taking in the rest of the area. It was filled with ruin-like piles of stone and brick. Perhaps this had been the site of the labyrinth. Sarah recalled how there had been faces and figures carved into the very walls of the maze. But if it now lay in ruin, what were the chances that Jareth was any better off…

Every once and a while Sarah encountered full standing walls. Sadly they didn't glitter with the same magic they once had. Now they dripped with the falling rain and looked as ordinary and ancient as any earth ruins.

As she trekked on alone and sopping wet Sarah pondered the reality of what had happened all those years ago during her first experience here. It was for her to think it actually happened after spending so much time trying to convince herself it hadn't. 

Sarah remembered it all like a dream; some parts fuzzier than others. She'd told the story to Toby, acting it out, voices and all. Then in all seriousness she'd wished her baby brother away…No not just away. Sarah had wished the goblins to take him away. And there they were, and there _he _had been, the Goblin King. He was everything she'd ever expected a great villain to be, frightening, intelligent, sophisticated, cruel, arrogant, and infuriating. He was even attractive, suave and witty. But somehow nothing about him was completely evil and when he'd revealed that he had done everything for _her_, Sarah was thrown a bit. During her almost thirteen hours in the labyrinth she had learned not to be so afraid of Jareth's façade. Oddly enough, in the end, it was asking her to love him that frightened her most.

"It was just a game," she told herself aloud. "Nothing but a game. How could any creature so horrible to others deserve anyone's love."

By the time the rain stopped and the clouds parted the sun had set. Nightfall was unbearably cold. Wet and without shelter, Sarah continued on. All thoughts about Toby had left her mind long ago. Now all that matter was not freezing to death. 

Suddenly, as though a wish had been granted, Sarah spotted the flickering light of a fire through some trees up ahead. She was overwhelmed by the thought of being warm and dry that she forgot that hostile creatures outnumbered the good ones in this world.

Sarah jogged up to the fire and seeing no one about she knelt in close and warmed herself. When her eyes finally adjusted to the bright flames she noticed some sort of dead animal on a spit. Sarah was not one for stealing, but it had been a long day and she'd had nothing to eat. So she snatched it out of the fire and blew on it fiercely to cool it. Once satisfied she wouldn't burn her mouth she tore into it. It was then that someone came rustling out from behind a couple of trees. 

"Oh! Thems my dinner! Get away from there!" said the gruff, aggravated voice. Sarah hurried away from the fire with her price clenched in her greedy teeth. She didn't even look up to see who was there.

"Give it here! Don't be takin' it! Cor, No good thief!"

Sarah froze. She knew that voice. Furrowing her brows she squinted to see the dwarf who was now silhouetted by the fire, standing in front of her.

"Hoogle?"


	5. Old Friends

"Sarah?' Hoggle belted in complete amazement. "What're you doin' here? I thought I'd never see you again."

Sarah stood and removed the meat from her mouth. She pulled Hoggle into a tight hug. "Oh Hoggle you have no idea how happy I am to see _you_!" she said swaying him from side to side.

Hoggle pulled away and straightened his vest trying to hide his flushed face. "Gosh, I was just out campin'. But why're you here?"

"Oh right," Sarah said sitting back down and fingering the food. "I followed my brother, you remember Toby. Well he was accidentally brought here and now I have to find him."

"Cor, isn't that what happened last time?" Hoggle said staring at Sarah scarfing down his meal. "Share why don't ya?"

"Oh my, of course." Sarah ripped the meat in two and gave half to her friend. "Yes it's kinda what happened. Only Toby's seventeen now and he did it himself, but I don't know where to find him. Hoggle I am so sorry that we didn't stay better friends. It's like I suddenly forgot all about you."

"Yeah, that can happen to humans as they get older. No hard feelin's I guess. As for your brother, I haven't seen 'im." Sarah hadn't expected him to have.

"What happened here, Hoggle?" Sarah said gesturing around them. "Where did the labyrinth go?"

"You're in it, what's left of it. After you beat Jareth it started to fall apart. It was the strangest thing. All the goblins went on a riot…Stupid things, goblins. But they still live in the Goblin city right where it always were."

"Oh really?" Sarah thought a moment. Maybe she hadn't seen the castle because she was just in the wrong place. "What about the castle that used to lie at the centre of the labyrinth? I asked a goblin when I first arrived and she said it was gone too."

Hoggle scowled. "Don't trust a goblin, Sarah. It's still standing, but no one lives there now. Well no one but a bunch of disgusting goblins, s'more like a gymnasium than a castle."

"Wasn't it always?" offered Sarah. Hoggle had to admit she had him there. Sarah smiled and finished her meat. While they ate, Hoggle told Sarah about Sir Didymus returning to the bog he had always called home, and Ludo's journey to the mountain's to be with the rocks he held so dear.

Sarah was happy that her old friends had the chance to find some normality now that they were free, even if Sir Didymus had returned to that awful bog of eternal stench. 

Soon Hoggle finished talking and there was only silence and the sound of the crackling fire between them. Sarah watched the flames, working up the courage to ask the question to which she feared the answer.

"Hoggle?" The dwarf lifted his head. "Do you know what happened to the Goblin King?" she asked her voice soft and nervous.

Hoggle's eyes widened a bit at the question. He obvious didn't think she would ask it. "Why should you care about that old bastard, nice girl like you?"

"I just…I need to know." Her eyes met his with a new intensity. Sarah could see that she'd have to play it tough around Hoggle, like before.

Hoggle shook his head. "He's around somewhere,' he said reluctantly. "Goblins tell tales about 'im 'round here. Little ones better behave or Jareth will come get ya."

"But has anyone seen him?" Sarah pressed.

"Nah, not for ages. Good riddance I say," he spat. "If I ever saw the likes of 'im again in my lifetime, it would be too soon."

Sarah could feel the bitterness in Hoggle's voice. "I guess he's no threat now."

"Hardly, and don't worry. We'll find your brother. Tomorrow I'll take ya to the city. We'll start there. See if anyone's heard of 'im."

"Thank you Hoggle, you're a true friend," Sarah said placing a hand on the small man's shoulder.

"It's nothin'," he insisted, blushing again. 

That night they slept on either sides of the fire. Sarah couldn't help thinking about her poor, lost brother. She also had the distinct impression that they were being watched. However, it was pitch black under the canopy of the trees and Sarah couldn't see beyond the firelight. Hoggle told her that as long as they remain close to the flames they wouldn't be in any danger. She hoped he was right.

Hoggle kept his word and in the morning they set off for the Goblin City. It was very much as Sarah remembered it, which gave her a feeling of slight relief. The streets were humming with loud, obnoxious goblins of every shape and size. Some were travelling by foot, others rode on strange mechanical vehicles, and some even got around riding each other.

There were food markets and trinket stands in the already crowded alleyways and town square. The air was humid and the smells rising from the crowds were not particularly pleasing. Hoggle grabbed Sarah's arm and led her to a pair of mismatched doors. 

"You go in and get somethin' to drink," said Hoggle. Then he leaned in and added, "I've got an errand to run. Wait for me here, would ya."

Sarah agreed and the dwarf disappeared into the busy market. She had to duck her head as she went through the doorway; inside the ceiling was quite low. She bowed her way up to the bar where, once seated, Sarah sat upright without a problem. 

A moment after she'd sat down, a grimy glass of liquid was slammed down on the bar in front of her. "I didn't order anything, yet," she protested.

The barman, who looked more the offspring of a crazed rabbit and a gorilla, glared at the slight woman. "You didn't. He did," he growled indicating a cloaked creature at a far corner table. 

"For me?" she asked with disbelief. The barman grunted an affirmation. 

Sarah didn't know if she should approach the person who bought the drink. Casually she lifted the glass to her nose and sniffed it. It was fruity and sweet. The glass itself was so dirty and unsanitary that she didn't dare taste it, but she would bet her life it was peach juice. 

Revolted she pushed it away and stormed over to the cloaked figure at the corner table. 

"Who are you," she demanded. The cloak remained silent and unmoving. "What do you mean by ordering me that drink? Answer me!" The pitch of her voice had been louder than intended and the entire establishment went quiet. Sarah stunned at the attention she'd gotten, looked around and grinned. "Sorry," she said much calmer. Everyone resumed their business.

Sarah pulled up a chair beside the stranger in the cloak. "Who are you?" she asked again.

Finally in a soft whisper a male, accented voice said, "Go away."

"If you didn't want my attention, why did you order me a drink?" Sarah retorted.

"I didn't. It wasn't me," said the voice under the cloak.

"Who are you?" Sarah repeated her question narrowing her eyes. The form shifted as if turning its back to her, facing the back wall. Sarah was insulted. She stood (well nearly, the ceiling was too low to stand fully) and walked around and knelt down to face the creature. 

"I was talking to you. And if you won't tell me who you are…" she paused and threw the cloak hood off the form's head. 

Sarah gasped as the man gathered the cloak back around his ears to hide his face from the rest of the bar. He was fair, with medium length blond locks. His eyes were mismatched blue and brown just as she remembered, but there was not a flake of make-up to be found on his delicate features.

"Don't do that," he warned her with a glare. Then he realised she was staring at him in awe and he recognised her for who she was. He didn't speak, couldn't speak. The two of them just sat there staring at each other.

TBC

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	6. Some ale and small talk

Sarah sat kneeling, pinned between the back wall of the seedy goblin bar and Jareth's piercing icy stare. Her instincts wanted her to move as far and fast as possible, but given her current positioning any movement was out of the question, unless she wanted to end up in the man's lap.

__

It's him, it's really him, Sarah thought. Her mind was racing, she knew she would run into him eventually, but by the way Hoggle had described the situation she never imagined it would be so soon and in a place like this was even more shocking. 

Even more surprising was the interest her old enemy showed toward her. Suddenly a playful smile drew across his lips. Again Sarah was caught off guard and had to fight the urge to duck out under the table. 

"Well, well, well," Jareth said smugly. "I knew someday you'd give into your temptations and come crawling back to me. I just didn't know it would be in such a _literal _fashion." The smile became a smirk and Sarah's jaw dropped. 

"Believe me, I had no intention of ever being anywhere near you ever again, let alone this close." With her last few words Sarah struggled to stand. "Now, move and I'll be on my way."

Both were trying to deny their first reactions to seeing one another. However, Jareth wasn't about to let Sarah get a way so easily. 

"I don't think you'll be going anywhere just yet, Sarah." It felt good to say her name again, and Sarah shrugged off a shiver when he said it. She fixed him with a nasty look of contempt. 

Raising his chin to her, he waved an elegant gloved hand. "I will let you escape from the corner you've trapped yourself in, if you give your word to sit and have a drink with me," he proposed.

Sarah narrowed her eyes, she didn't want to give into his bargain, but a cramp was forming in her left calf and she could see no other way out. "Agreed," she said with her eyes lowered to him, as though trying to play at his level of arrogance.

Sarah moved back around to the chair she previously occupied. Jareth ordered them each a glass of ale. While Sarah had no intention of drinking it, she let him think she would. Maybe if she could get him to drink he'd loosen up and reveal some of his secrets.

There was a long time of awkward silence between them. Sarah fondly thought of how it reminded her of some of the nightmare blind dates she'd fallen into. Jareth sipped at this drink, the cloak still enveloping most of his features. Sarah could see a few wisps, of the now shorter, blond hair, which had touches of white throughout. Even though Jareth didn't look a day older than the last time she saw him, she supposed that he too must age. 

"So tell me Jareth…" Sarah began after a long time without conversation. "Why was there a crystal in my old pack? You wouldn't know anything about that would you?" She ran a finger around the rim of her frothy ale. 

"You are right, _for once_. I had nothing to do with it," he stated bluntly, leaving the young woman unsatisfied. She was determined not to let him get the best of her.

"That's not possible," she declared. "You are the only one capable of creating those crystals, aren't you?"

"Well, yes," he said thoughtfully. "I suppose it is possible that you took it with you and forgot about it. You _were_ such a _silly_ thing."

Sarah's face went red. _Silly!_ she screamed inwardly. "Fine, you didn't leave me a crystal to find. What about the photograph?" That got his attention.

"And what photograph would that be?" he asked one eyebrow cocked in curiosity.

"The one of you with my mother," Sarah said accusingly. "What are you some kind of pervert? Have the mother and the daughter?"

"What _are _you going on about?" Jareth mocked.

"Look, you can go on pretending to know nothing about anything while I site here having my drink with you, or you can chose to stop being such an ass and tell me what I what to know," she huffed.

Jareth laughed. "Oh you mean this photograph?" he said waving a black glove back and forth as the photo appeared between two fingers. "I really don't see the resemblance you speak of," he said straight-faced glancing at the image before Sarah grabbed it from him.

__

More magic, she thought. The photograph no longer looked liked Jareth at all, except perhaps the light hair and eyes. But the man with her mother was clearly not the Goblin King. 

"You did this!" she growled, nostrils flaring. "I knew I couldn't trust you." She crumpled the paper in her fist.

"Oh Sarah, are you so naïve?" he sighed. "It never was me, you must have projected it. Really, I am flattered though, that you think so often of me to see my face where it isn't."

"Bastard!" she was ready to slap him. She didn't think anything of him. He was scum to her; no worse than scum...and she _never_ thought of him in _any_ capacity. Sarah's eyes burned with rage. When Jareth placed a hand on her arm to hush her she hit it away. 

"You don't know anything about me. And if you cared at all you would help me." Sarah stood and stepped away, but came in close to Jareth again to add, "Just so you know _Your Highness_ my being here has nothing to do with you. I came here to find my brother. That's right, Toby touched the crystal first and vanished. I think he's here somewhere in your twisted realm of misfits, but now I don't know what to think. I _do know_, however, that if I stay here and play your stupid games I'll never find him."

She turned to go, but Jareth stopped her once again. "Come, come now. Don't act so rashly," he warned. "You know even less about me than I do of you. Sit back down child and listen. You said you wanted my help? Then don't give in to old habits. Be patient and maybe you'll learn something."

Sarah couldn't tell if he was being condescending, or if he just always spoke that way to everyone. So she decided that maybe she had gone about this all wrong and she would give it one last chance. As she sat she heard Jareth mumble something about 'can't a man just have a casual conversation anymore.'

"I'm listening," she pouted. He gave her a skeptical look and she mimed locking her lips and throwing away the key. 

"Now, somewhere in that magnificent rant you mentioned a missing brother." Jareth paused and waited until Sarah finally nodded. "Good. Right, so what are your resources in this search?"

Sarah just stared at him. Jareth rolled his eyes. "Yes, you may speak when spoken too," he sighed. He could see this was turning out to be as difficult as getting goblins to sit still.

"Oh, sorry. Um, well I don't have any. Oh except Hoggle." Suddenly her dark eyes widened. "Hoggle. Oops, I think he'll be coming to meet me soon."

"That useless old lump?" Jareth wasn't impress. Sarah shrugged. "Fine, I don't know why you took such a liking to him of all creatures. Nothing else?"

"Well no. I got here and everything was different. I mean, the labyrinth was gone and you aren't king anymore." As the words left her lips she wished she hadn't said them. Jareth's face fell.

"Yes, well I have you to thank for that."

"What really happened after I went home all those years ago?" She let a touch of concern come through in her voice. Jareth stiffened and took a swig of his ale, finishing it. 

"I told you to speak when spoken to. If you want to find your brother and leave here I suggest you heed my words," he scolded, cold as ever. Sarah sat back and nodded, her jaw obviously clenched.

"I think it would be best to visit the oracle. He might know what happened to your brother. He might also be able to tell us who planted that crystal and ordered you that peach juice."

"And altered that photo," she let escape, then put a hand to her mouth. He glanced sideways at her and smirked at the gesture.

"Then it's settled, we leave at once. Unless you have any objections?"

"Well maybe one. Ok two. The first id that I really should wait for Hoggle."

Jareth sighed. "Fine. And what is the second?"

"Actually, it's more of a question than an objection." She paused and waited for a reaction.

Jareth leaned forward. "Well, ask your question."

"Why exactly are you helping me?" Sarah leaned in as well, but not too close. "I know I asked, but I wouldn't have thought you'd actually help. What's in this for you?"

"Sarah," he breathed just above a whisper, leaning in further so the two of them were about an inch apart. "What _isn't_ in this for me?" he asked seductively, caressing her cheek with a silken finger.

Sarah's whole body tingled with the heat of his words. Quickly she sat back and tried to breathe evenly, hating herself for reacting and hoping her face wasn't as flush as it felt.

TBC

Please Review…and anyone has any suggestions for future additions, please feel free to let me know and I will credit youJ 


	7. A quest and more rain

Sarah sat as if in a daze. Jareth cocked his head in amusement as he too sat back in his chair. He continued to watch her intently until Hoggle found them minutes later and both turned in acknowledgement. 

"Cor, Sarah, why'd ya have to go sit back here, for?" he asked with mild frustration. 

Sarah shot a look to Jareth who had now pulled the cloak hood completely over his face. It looked to her that he didn't want Hoggle to recognise him either.

"I was just having a drink with this old goblin," she said gesturing to Jareth. "I wasn't trying to hide or anything. Are we ready to go?"

Hoggle lifted two small packs, "As ready as we're gonna be."

"Great! Let's go then," she said patting the cloaked man on the forearm.

Hoggle did not look happy. "What do ya mean 'let's'? He ain't comin'?"

"As a matter of fact he is," she said standing. "He's going to lead us to the Oracle."

Hoggle dropped the packs. "Ugh, Sarah, you can't trust strange goblins in these parts."

"Why not? She trusts you," said a muffled mocking voice from under the hood.

"What? Well, I say it's him or me!" he declared stomping a foot. 

"Oh Hoggle. We can all go, don't be stubborn," Sarah pleaded.

"No, not Hoggle; not with some stranger," Hoggle said and added pulling her close by the front of her blouse, "There's rumours that a new power is risin'. Didn't want to tell ya before, but there it is. So ya can't trust no body."

"I believe I _can_ trust this person." Sarah was fighting a losing battle with her old friend.

"Suit yourself. I've helped all I can. Go on, take the supplies and go with your guide. But don't say I didn't warn ya."

"Hoggle?" She couldn't believe he was serious.

"No, won't change my mind. Goodbye." With that Hoggle hurried out of the bar.

"Hoggle!" Sarah called one last time. "I can't believe he'd be so quick to leave me here."

"Why not?" said Jareth. "He left you half a dozen times in my labyrinth. Which means, of course that we probably haven't seen the last of him."

"You could be right," Sarah agreed, shrugging. She then proceeded to pick up the small packs and place one over each shoulder. She didn't want to press her luck asking Jareth to carry one.

"So why didn't you want him to know who you were?" she asked as they made their way through the streets.

"For the same reason I didn't want anyone else to. Someone always has a bone of some kind to pick with me and those rumours that little imp spoke of are more than just rumours," he explained. "Besides, if the goblins find me out they always spend hours laughing at me afterward. It's quite humiliating."

Sarah stifled a laugh.

As the day wore on the two travellers left the Goblin City and headed into the forest. After a few hours in the woods, the sky grew dark and the air cold. Sarah cringed inwardly because she knew it was too early for nightfall. Then they heard it, the rumble of thunder. Sarah whimpered and glared jealously at Jareth's heavy cloak, as the rain fell drenched her clothes. 

"Just my luck, more rain," she whined. 

"You'd be surprised how often the weather turns sour these days," observed Jareth. "I think it must have something to do with all the imbalances. Too many goblins reeking all kinds of havoc, no one to control them. Faeries being mischievous and unruly. Not to mention the lack of new babies. And then you and your brother arrive unexpectedly."

"I'm going to pretend you didn't say the part about the babies," Sarah said hunching her shoulders with a shiver.

"I see that you have grown up some since last we met," Jareth said letting his eyes roam up and down her figure.

Sarah noticed where his eyes rested. "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't ogle my breasts," she said crossing her arms over her wet front. "It's not my fault it rains here all the time. How was I to know, it was always sunny and warm in the labyrinth."

Jareth grinned to himself. "Well I would lend you my cloak, but I don't think it would be wise."

"Why? Are you naked under there?" she said mischievously tilting toward him.

"You little minx," he pulled back with a laugh. "No. these days even trees have eyes. We should stay as hidden as possible. Though, you would wish something like that. Luckily, I'm not in the business of granting wishes anymore, otherwise I'd be in trouble with you around."

Sarah gasped sarcastically, "_I_ wish? Please. _You_ wish the rain would let you see more than my lacy bra."

"I _do_ not. I think you were hoping I would give you my cloak so that you could see through what I was wearing," he grinned.

"Oh stop it," she laughed. 

"I can't. The only one who can stop it is she who began it."

The seriousness of his tone sobered Sarah. Where did that remark come from and what exactly did he mean by it. It didn't sound to her that he was talking about their teasing. Was this what he'd meant by 'listen and learn'.

The storm increased in its fury and pooling mud was beginning to create problem. The wind had picked up as well and bitter drops of rain were biting Sarah's already frozen skin.

Suddenly, Jareth changed the direction of his stride. "This is useless. We'll just have to take shelter until the weather brightens," he said as he made his way under the shelter of the roots of an ancient fallen tree. 

He motioned for Sarah to join him as he lifted the cloak to allow her under for warmth. Sarah took the gesture as purely a strategic move, as there was no sense in either of them becoming ill. She resisted the instinct to snuggle into the warmth of Jareth's body as she pulled the cloak around her shoulders beside him. 

"Jareth?" He never tired of hearing her say his name. "What is this new power?"

"In the natural order of things, if someone or thing leaves a void someone or thing will fill it." Jareth looked down at her. "I have heard no more than this someone is female and not any nicer than I was. Although she has been rising in power for some time she has shown no interest at in ruling over goblins."

"Where did she come from?" Sarah asked, her teeth a bit chattery.

"My guess is that she's an outcast." Jareth could feel Sarah's body shiver despite the added covering. "You're freezing. Lean into me, don't be shy," he said wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her in so that her back lay on his front. Both their legs were pulled up under the cloak and his inner thighs brushed her hands, which rested on her knees.

Sarah leaned her head back on Jareth's chest. She could already feel heat returning to her frozen limbs. Something about this position felt very right and very wrong at the same time. It was strange to her that they'd ended up here like this. She noticed his chin was just next to her ear and he smelled like exotic spices. The rhythmic rise and fall of their breathing relaxed her and soon Sarah felt herself drifting off to sleep.

TBC…(Too short? I know…)

****

Author's Notes: 

-First a shout out to LadyAkhana…It will be ok! There is more story comingJ . I am so pleased that all of you are liking my story so much, I hope I don't disappoint anyone.

Born-of-Elven-Blood I think we will find out what happened to our Jareth as soon as he and Sarah get a bit cosier. ( and everyoneJ ) draegon-fire, I like your thoughts about a divine plan…hmmm…gets me thinking. And I hope their reactions so far have been mostly in character. Leah…I would love to hear your suggestions. Everyone else who left comments…Please keep reading and reviewing!! Thanks! 


	8. Sexual Healing

Author's notes: 

-Niki please don't suspend me into the bog of eternal stench!

-Just a warning (though not a big one) I think I was in a strange mood when I wrote this section.

-I realise that everyone is getting antsy to know what is happening with Jareth's powers and where is Toby anyway…Hopefully this section will help.

-Thanks again to everyone for writing such great reviews…I really appreciate itJ 

Toby awoke, rubbing his eyes in confusion. The room in which he now found himself was very dark and not familiar in the least. The walls were covered in strange pictorial tapestries that the candlelight denied him to see clearly. 

The boy's head hurt and he couldn't find the strength lift his head. His discomfort did make him appreciative of the luxurious silk pillows and sheets on which he lay. It wasn't long before he heard footsteps enter the room and approach him. He felt a cool cloth caress his hot forehead and he could just make out the porcelain hand and its owner. Her pitch-back ringlets fell to her waist in perfect contrast to her bone white skin.

"I see you're awake," said a light feminine voice. The raven-haired woman removed the cloth and sat on the bed by Toby's legs. "How are you feeling?"

"I…my head hurts and I feel weak and dizzy," said Toby staring at the gorgeous creature attending him. "Who are you?"

Her green eyes sparkled as she smiled. "You may call me Hope. You're in my home; you've been here nearly two days. I wasn't sure you'd ever wake up," she said with concern.

Toby lifted the corners of his mouth in an attempt to smile back. "I'm Toby. Thank you for your kindness, but I really need to be going." He tried to lift his upper body without success. 

Hope tilted her head toward Toby. "I don't think you're in any sort of condition to be running off so soon," she said as she began to rub his inner thigh just above the knee. "What could possibly be so important?" she asked.

Toby was feeling a bit distracted by the circular motions of her hand. And as he couldn't help but gaze at the Hope's cleavage as she bent forward he was beginning to wonder if this was how he got dizzy in the first place. He was too weak to move away, but he was determined to concentrate. "I have to get back home, my sister will be worried sick about me," he answered, his blue eyes intense.

"Oh I don't think you have to worry about your sister, Toby," Hope said hint of menace. "She is in good hands." Like the hands he was in, Toby wondered.

"What are you talking about? What do you know about Sarah?" Toby's voice rose an octave with alarm. He wasn't sure if this beautiful woman was friend or foe. 

"I already knew who you were the moment I saw you, Toby. You were the first and the last child to escape from the horrid Goblin King. He didn't take anymore children after your sister defeated him." Hope paused, licked her lips and stoked Toby's blond curls. This sensation too was quite pleasurable. 

"She's here," she continued, "Well, not here, but in this world. Sarah is with that old enemy of yours, or so I've heard. But I really think you should get some food in you and rest more. In the mean time I can find out all there is to know about your sister and her dealings with that monster."

Toby wanted to know how Hope knew all of this, but he was too tired and aroused to manage a single word. He was steadying his breathing when he heard her rise and leave his room. He knew she'd return with food and even though he didn't feel much like eating, Toby thought it would give him his strength back so that he could go and save Sarah.

Sarah breathed deeply and suddenly stirred. She realised that she was under large roots of a tree and there was what looked like a raven hanging upside down, staring at her. It cawed once and flew away. The loud birdcall startled her and jerking back Sarah almost knocked faces with Jareth. Then she remembered that she must have fallen asleep on him. 

Asleep on Jareth, she thought. _Oh dear._ As delicately as possible Sarah turned her body and lifted off the sleeping man. She tried her best to keep the cloak about her shoulders as the air was still biting cold. She sat on her haunches in front of Jareth, watching him breath. 

His face was so peaceful. She remarked how handsome he really was. With a light hand she lifted his feathery hair from his forehead and again noticed that he wore no make-up. Even without it, his face seemed to glitter with colour and beauty. Unconsciously, Sarah let her hand roam from the sleeping man's cheek to his chin where her thumb rested on Jareth's pouted bottom lip.

She smiled to herself. How small he seemed now. No monster, or king. He was only a man to her now, not much taller than she was. He was imperfect, with feelings and problems all his own. It was then that Sarah leaned in and brushed her lips to his. Still asleep, Jareth let out a soft delightful moan, which caused Sarah to come to her senses and pull away, though he didn't wake.

She mentally scolded herself. _How could I be so silly! Great now he wins, I am silly._ Sarah thought it was about time she rummaged through the packs that Hoggle had provided her with. In one was various breads and cheeses. Greedily she helped herself to both. In the other was a long burgundy cape. It wasn't fancy or very think but it would do to block some of the wind. Good old Hoggle, there was also a miss-matched pair of gloves just her size and what looked to be some kind of compass.

Putting on the cape, Sarah examined the compass. It didn't seem to indicate the usual directions of North and South. Instead it had tiny painted images of water, a baby bottle, a tree, and a door. She'd have to ask Jareth what they all meant later. Sarah pocketed the compass and put on the gloves. 

Sarah wasn't sure what she could possibly do to thank Hoggle when she saw him again, but then she felt the clip in her hair securing her disastrous bun. It was blue plastic and she recalled how he loved plastic. She removed it, letting her hair down, and hid it away in the pack with the food. The second pack, now empty, she stuffed into the first in case they would need it later.

As she finished her task, Jareth woke and lifted his head to her. "Where did you get that rag?" he asked of her new cape.

Sarah turned to him. "I found it in the supplies that Hoggle collected for me back in the Goblin City. He also gave me this." She brought out the compass and showed Jareth. He nodded and took it from her.

"Yes, it's like a compass. The bottle is the gates of the Goblin City. This tree is the forest. The water is, well, water. And the door is the way out," he said handing it back.

"What do you mean? If I point this thing so the needle points in the direction of the tree it will tell me that I'm in the forest? That's so stupid. I know I'm in a forest."

"Oh really, Sarah. It's enchanted. You tell it where you wish to go and it helps you to get there. If you want to find your way through the forest you just find which direction the needle will point at the door. Only if your destination was to arrive at the forest would you point the needle at the forest."

"I guess that makes more sense," she said offering Jareth some bread, which he took gladly. "Wait, if I wanted to find my way out of the Underground I could just tell it that and then all I have to is follow the needle to the door?" Sarah asked eagerly.

"I suppose. I don't see why not."

"Jareth? Can I ask you something without you getting all moody and defensive?" asked Sarah leaning on one knee.

"I don't get moody and defensive," he protested.

"Yes you do," she insisted.

"I do not. When have I ever?"

"Um, just now count?" she teased.

"Oh fine, what is it," he pouted.

"I know I defeated you and all, but if you were able to conjure up that photograph in the bar you must still have some powers. Why are we walking everywhere if you could just take us to Toby?"

"Because my powers are limited and although I probably could - that is if I knew where he was to begin with – it would be a waste of energy that I may need for some other purpose."

"Oh I see. And why aren't you king anymore?" she asked twirling her hair innocently.

Jareth resisted a sigh. "Remember I told you that the goblins loved to laugh at me?"

Sarah grinned, "Yes of course. How could I forget."

"Well, they never would have dared before you came and defeated me. Now I'm unable to punish them they way I used to and they have no fear of me. How can I rule such stupid creatures without their fear and devotion?"

"I guess that makes sense, but what doesn't make any is that you were still living in the Goblin City. You aren't a goblin and you obviously hate them so why didn't you leave after you were de-throwned?"

Jareth shrugged his shoulders. "I never said I hated goblins. Besides, it's the only home I've ever known," he said with a touch of sadness.

"What do you mean?" Her heart actually pained with sympathy.

"You were correct in saying that I'm not a goblin, however I'm not anything else either. I'm not human. I'm simply an immortal who has existed here for as long as I can recall."

Sarah shifted her position and unknowingly scratched her head. "But you must have come from somewhere. How did you become king in the first place?"

Jareth extended a gloved hand and felt a lock of Sarah's hair, which was lose around her shoulders. "I don't know. Is it important? You still haven't told me anything about you."

"Me?" Sarah was a bit unprepared, she suddenly felt unimportant next to him. "There's not much to know. I've just been living my life doing mortal things like going to school and starting a career as a writer."

"Sounds awfully dull," Jareth mused.

"I suppose it can be. But hey it beats hiding out for the last fifteen years," she rebutted giving him a look.

"Touché."

"Shall we continue?"

"No, I think I'm bored of this conversation."

Sarah's face fell. "I meant our journey, Jareth," she sighed.

"Oh yes quite. It is that time isn't it," he agreed standing. "Well take out that compass of yours and request it to show us the door to the underground tunnels. This weather doesn't look like it will improve. We can move faster trough the tunnels."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Sarah said pulling out the compass. Then she commanded it like Jareth had requested and the needle spun. Sarah turned her body to follow it until she was facing the right direction, with the needle pointed directly at the door. 

It wasn't fifteen minutes later that the needle began to spin without reason. Sarah stopped in her tracks. "It's gone crazy," she exclaimed. 

Jareth moved next to her and shook it. "It think this might mean we've found the door."

"What do you mean? I don't see a door, or any opening of any kind," Sarah said taking a few steps forward. "There's nothing here. Unless it's a trick, like in the labyrinth. Maybe it's invisi--." Sarah was cut off as she fell through a hole under her feet.

Jareth rushed over to where she'd just been and looked down the hole. "I think you found what we were looking for," he called to he smugly.

"No shit!" Sarah called back.

"Minx," Jareth laughed to himself as he jumped down after her.

TBC…

(Hope it wasn't too chatty)

Please reviewJ 


	9. The Tunnel

Author's note: Sorry it took so long. Please forgive me. Oh and my spellcheck is all messed up so there will be more mistakes than usual I think.

The underground tunnel was warmer than the weather above but it was also dark and long. Jareth had illuminated a ball of light in his hand to lead the way, but the walls were quite narrow and the light didn't pass beyond Jareth's broad form. So, Sarah, who was walking behind, occasionally found herself holding onto the former Gobloin King's sleeve and feeling crunchy things beneath her feet. She decided that it was probably better she couldn't see afterall. 

"You do know where we're going don't you?" Sarah asked a bit mockingly. It didn't feel like they'd been down there long, but she'd landed wrong on her ankle and although it wasn't seriously hurt it was starting to bother her. Of course she would never complain to Jareth. 

Jareth sighed, "Yes, yes of course I do. Besides, these tunnels, if you've noticed, only go in one solid dirrection. It would be impossible to get lost."

"Ya well, that's what I thought of your labyrinth and I got lost at least half a dozen times," she retorted.

"That was because I am a brilliant designer. These mud tunnels were dug by stupid goblins who only know forward and backward. Anything more and they'd have their heads up there asses."

Sarah chuckled to herself. It was strange how she had to keep reminding herself of where she was and how it was only a few days ago that she was in New England packing up her old things and chatting with Toby. _Toby_, she had to keep reminding herself of him too. This oracle better know his stuff.

Jareth stopped all of a sudden. "Hmmm," he said using the light to look around. Sarah tried to peek over his shoulder, but she couldn't see what was up. "I think we've come to the end of our tunnel."

"So now what? Is there a door?" She asked hopping up and down still trying to get a better look. 

"No, no door. It looks to me like someone has blocked this tunnel intentionally and very resently," he observed. "Well we'll have to turn back and try another way around."

"What! Oh no, I'm not going back," she foldeed her arms holding her ground. "What's blocking it exactly?"

"A lot of packed dirt," Jareth huffed. "Now turn around and stop arguing."

Sarah refused to budge, so Jareth squeezed past her. His light shone right in her eyes and she knocked it away. Jareth caught it before it went out and cursed under his breath. Sarah didn't appologise, but grabbed back the hand holding the light and brought it up to the dirt wall before them.

"Make up your mind. You don't want the light, you do want the light," Jareth said struggling against her surprisingly strong grip on his wrist.

"I want it. Right here, right now. So stop resisting and give it to me," Sarah demanded.

"Now, say all that again with less agitation and more sultry seduction," he teased. 

"Stop that!" she growled, punching his shoulder. "I know it's been difficult for you to remain even a little human, but please don't revert to being a total perverted pig just yet."

Jareth's eyes widened and then narrowed at Sarah. "I was only trying to improve the atmosphere in here. You are so tense." He moved his free hand to massage her neck, but she swatted him away and gave him another, "Stop that!"

Sarah reached inside the bag sher was still carrying and found her hair clip. Once her hair was out of the way she began to dig with her gloved hands. Jareth rolled his eyes. 

"Is this your plan? Dig until your knuckles bleed?" He sighed deeply, then with one swift move the wall of dirt was gone and the tunnel stretched on again.

Sarah blinked in disbelief for a moment, but then her eyes grew cold. "You could have done this in the first place, but yet you suggested we turn around and go back?"

"Well, yes, of course," he admitted frankly. "But my dear Sarah, if you had been listening, I want to save as much of my power as possible. I only removed our obsticle because of your foolish stuburn need to continue down the tunnels."

Sarah sat on her haunches staring at Jareth with a wicked look of furry. She didn't care what his excuses were, she was getting tired of them. She was beginning to suspect that maybe he was making it all up. Sarah couldn't see how his power could be on such short supply. Which meant that Jareth was actually stalling to have more time with her. At other times that idea might not have been too horrible, but right now her brother was missing and this was no time for games.

"Let's go," she sneered. Jareth grimaced and then fallowed her.

Toby awoke again to find himself rested and feeling more energised than before. His head had stopped hurting and finally his eyes focused on the sunlight room around him. He remembered that there had been candles everywhere the last time he was awake, so he figured he'd slept a long time.

There wasn't any sign of the mysterious woman. What had her name been? 'Hope', he remembered at last. He wasn't quite ready to trust her and what she'd said about his sister and the Goblin King, but he knew she was all he had to go on at the moment.

"Sarah," he whispered as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I have to find you." He found a fresh set of clothes lying on a plush armchair. Quickly he dressed in the simple brown pants, white linen shirt and leather vest. He then proceeded to the door. 

As quietly as he could, Toby opened the door and stepped into the hall. He then realised how small this cottage was. The hall was short and he could see another room at the end without a door. It looked like a common room with a fire blazing at one end. Off the hall were only two other doors besides the one he came from. He decided he should just look for the nearest exist.

Toby tiptoed to the doorway of the common room and glanced around. It was occupied solely by furniture as lush as that in his room. He didn't see Hope, which gave him both a sense of relief and panic at once. She wasn't here so he could get to the door he saw to the left, but she might come down the hall at any moment.

So with a final survey of his surroundings, Toby ran for the door. Unfortunately, as he swung it open and stepped out into the front garden Hope sat crouching tending to some flowers. She had heard the door creak open behind her and she stood to great him.

"I see you found the clothes I left out for you." She said smiling. Her attire was gardening appropriate and not at all like the revealing dress she'd worn previously. 

Toby swallowed hard. He didn't want to be afraid, but he was. He was afraid she was not what she seemed. He had had so many nightmares about this world growing up that nothing about it made him feel at ease. Not even Hope's warm, sweet smile.

"Y-yes, Th-thanks," he stuttered. Toby swallowed again and cleared his throat. "They're great, thank you," he said evenly.

"Good, I'm glad. Oh look at me," she said realising her dirt-smudged dress. "I'm a mess. Why don't you come inside, I'll clean up and we can have something to eat?"

Toby wanted to leave, but Hope was being so kind, and he could feel his empty stomach grumble. What harm could it do to take a few more minutes to eat something? After a moment Toby nodded and the tow went back inside.

Hope disappeared behind one of the doors in the hall. Toby made himself at home, convincing himself he was safe. After looking at her collection of books with titles he'd never heard of and glancing at the various framed pictures of strangers, Toby sat in an old fashioned, carved armchair by the fire.

Hope reappeared in a green dress that matched her eyes and set about gathering food on a tray. Toby seemed to drift off by the fire, thinking about Sarah and how he would find her, until a kettle whistle blew and brought him back.

Hope put the try of jams and breads down on the arm of Toby's chair and rushed to the complaining kettle. Hope lifted the kettle off the hook over the fire and poured the hot water into mugs. She then dropped a metal perforated ball of tealeaves into each one and while Toby was distracted by his desperate hunger, Hope dropped something extra into the Toby's mug. The raven-haired woman grinned wickedly to herself.

"Tea's ready," she said handing the hot potion to Toby. 

TBC…


	10. Dirt and Mud

Author's note: Ok strange thing…when you replace a chapter (like I did for chapter 9) fanfiction.net doesn't move your story up. Rather it keeps your original date of updating!! SO in short…I replaced my note for the actual chapter 9 about two days ago. Here is a part of the next chapter, which I am posting just to get my story recognised as updated! ENJOY!

The dark dirt tunnel stretch on and on. There didn't seem to be an end to it. Sarah could feel her ankle throbbing. It was time for a rest. Sarah leaned to her left and rested her left side on the soil. It took Jareth a moment to realise she was no longer directly behind him.

Jareth stopped and turned to illuminate his companion. He saw that she was rubbing her ankle so he didn't say a word. He could tell that it must have been bothering her for some time. He knew from past experience that this girl was stubborn, but this was just nonsense. 

Jareth was about to offer Sarah an arm to lean on when he felt a dampening in his right boot. He perked his ears and noticed the sound of trickling water. 

"Sarah," he called to her in a low voice. "Listen. Do you hear that?"

Sarah titled her head as if to listened closely. "Yes I do. What is that? Oh God, we aren't passing under the Bog of Eternal Stench are we?" she asked a bit panicked.

Jareth shook his head. "No, we would have smelt it, believe me."

Sarah believed him. She remembered the stench and now even though the water was clean she swore she could smell the bog. She shook it off. "It seems to be coming in fast. Do you think that's why this tunnel was blocked off back there?"

Sarah was right. The water was beginning to puddle up to their ankles. Jareth glared at her. "Well that would have made sense. I suppose it doesn't matter anymore. Now we'll just drown."

Sarah raised an eyebrow and glared back. "We'll just move faster. We can't be that far." She paused and then said, "And I would just love to see _you_ drown instead of snapping your fingers and taking us both to safety in an instant."

"You would like to see that wouldn't you? Come on, we're getting out of here."

The water continued to rise at an alarming rate. Jareth tugged Sarah off her dirt support and pulled her along. By the time the water rose to their waists Jareth had had enough. He took the compass in his free hand and looked at it in the light. He requested a way back to the surface. In mere moments a mudslide fell from the ceiling just missing their heads.

Sarah let out a short scream as the chunks of earth fell into the water splashing both her and Jareth. "You alright, Sarah?" Jareth asked turning to examine her. She nodded and looked up at the newly formed hole.

"Do you think next time we could arrange a warning?" She asked with nodded to the opening. 

"Shall we?" Jareth extended a hand to Sarah. He was able to lift her through the opening to the surface with ease. Once above ground Sarah lay down and reached for Jareth. He grabbed hold of her arms and pulled himself up.

It was sunny again and a roaring waterfall wet them with spray. Jareth threw off his heavy cloak. The sun was too warm and the cloak was too wet and heavy to keep on. Sarah looked up from examining the damage to her mud drenched pants to observe Jareth. This was the first time she'd seen him without the cloak. His figure was still lean as before and his pants were still just as tight.

Jareth felt Sarah's eyes on him and he let his gaze meet hers. She blinked and turned away feeling her cheeks burn. She had to stop letting him do that to her.

"I feel too gross to go on just now. I think I'll go bath in that waterfall. That is if it's safe and nothing will eat me or pull me down, drowning me…" she said this with suspicion. 

"Why do you look at me when you say those things?" He grinned at her poor attempt to wipe the muck from her jeans. "Yes, it should be safe. Just watch out for fairies and leaches. If you ask me the fairies are the worse of the two."

Sarah frowned, hating the idea that fairies were terrible biters, not that she would welcome leaches. Especially leaches from this world. Who knows what kind of strange mutation they would be.

TBC


	11. Little Girls and Big Trouble

Author's note: As always thanks for reading. This next part kind of moves up along. I know you're probably all waiting for something hot to happen between our two heroes and I promise it's coming soon!

Born-of-Elven-Blood, things don't quite steam up yet…well you'll see.

Lady Akhana, I hope when you come back and find a couple of additions you'll be happierJ 

Ok on with the show!

Sarah made her way behind a large rock, away from His Majesty's prying eyes. Slowly she peeled off the slimy, muddied blouse. A sneer of disgust fouled her expression. Several times Sarah flung her muck-ridden locks off her face. She'd just managed to remove one slushy shoe when she heard the snapping of a tree branch close by. 

"Jareth, do you mind?" she spat over her shoulder. Strangely, no one was there. In a feat of great balance, Sarah twisted around the boulder to see where Jareth had gone. Hopping on the remaining shoed foot, she craned her neck and saw no one by the hole.

"Jareth?" she whispered. "This isn't funny. I know you're hiding." She was calling him out and he wasn't bluffing. Sarah put her shoe back on and held up the dirty blouse to her chest for some modesty. Cautiously she came around to where the two of them had come up from the tunnel. She could see footprints surrounding the hole. She saw hers, Jareth's, and then some other type of prints. These prints were smaller and there were three times as many. Who ever made them must have been fast and quiet because Sarah hadn't heard a thing over the rushing waterfall.

As Sarah's brain finally process what she was looking at her eyes widened. Jareth had been taken. She tried to follow the footprints but found that they suddenly disappeared. Twirling around madly Sarah yelled in frustration.

"Oh great! Fantastic!" She cried to the treetops. "I finally start to get somewhere and now this happens. Well fine! Don't even think for a moment that I'm coming after you, because you can just forget it, Jareth. I have other, more important concerns." 

Roughly, Sarah put each arm into each sleeve of her blouse. Then, almost stomping like a toddler throwing a tantrum, she walked back to the pool of water and jumped in. It seemed that she was already dirty and wet, and she had no time to bathe properly.

Gasping for breath, Sarah resurfaced. The water was cold and quickly she scurried back out into the warmth of the sun. Again she rung-out her hair and tossed out of the way. With a stern look of determination she reached into her pocket.

"DAMN!" she cursed. Jareth had the compass. Without Sarah was most definitely lost. Now she would have to find him. "You win this round Jareth," she pouted to herself. "And when I find those little monsters who took you, they'll wish I'd never found my way back to the 'Underground'."

She continued to grumble to herself as she picked up her pack and headed for the trees. Sarah had the feeling that even if she wanted to mark a trail it would be a waste of her time. So instead she tried to memorise the look of the trunks as she went. 

She wasn't very sure which direction she was supposed to go, but Sarah figured that since she was in search of Toby, the Oracle, _and_ Jareth, that she was bound to stumble upon one of them eventually.

Night was falling and Sarah still hadn't found any of the people she needed to find. On the upside of things, she was convinced that she hadn't been travelling in circles all afternoon. 

Suddenly, Sarah's ears perked to voices coming from up ahead. Keeping herself hidden behind the greenery, she crept up to a campsite. Sarah almost didn't believe what she saw.

Three red-faced girls with ragged dresses and mossy hair danced around a crackling fire pit. Not one was taller than Sarah's waist. One broke away from the circle and pulled out a large fluffy feather. Sarah then saw Jareth strung up by his ankles, hanging from a high tree branch. His shirt lay beneath him, his arms seemed to be tied behind his back. 

The mischievous girl with the feather used it to trace a line up and down Jareth's rib cage. Sarah stifled her own snickering as the Goblin King, himself, burst into tearful shrieks of laughter.

"Stop. St-stop it!" Jareth cried through the laughter. "I mean it. Ha, ha." He wriggled and twisted trying to get out of reach, but the little girl just followed his movements. The other two girls pulled at their hair and screamed with delight. One even fell over she was laughing so hard. 

"Teach you good," said the girl with the feather. "Bad Goblin man," she scolded passing the instrument of torture under Jareth's nose causing him sneeze several times. The second girl, not the one who fell down, took something in her hand and showed it to him. 

"What is this?" she asked Jareth. It was the enchanted compass. "You weren't being naughty with it, were you?" She held it so it swung like a pendulum in front of his eyes.

The first girl stopped tickling Jareth so that he might answer. It took a moment for him to catch his breath and the second girl repeated her question adding, "You know us?"

"What I was doing with that little trinket is none of your concern," responded Jareth with an arrogant air. "And yes, I know you. You are the meddling little wood sprites that ward off unexpected nobodies from the Oracle's domain. Only, you can see that I am a 'somebody'. Now let me down." His last words were more of a command than a request.

All three girls looked at one another and then to Jareth. Simultaneously they shook their heads. "You're wrong," said the third girl. "You _are_ a Nobody. No rite to audience with the Great Oracle."

"Come, come, now. Surely you know me as the Goblin King," he protested. The three sprites remained silent. "I will not be addressed with such disrespect. Untie me and take me to your master, or face the consequences."

Now all three were giggling, but not with the carefree amusement as before. Now the giggles were malicious and disconcerting. Sarah felt fear raise the hairs on the back of her neck. The sprites began swatting at Jareth, batting him back and forth. Their sharp nails scratched at his exposed chest, arms and abdomen. He cursed and threatened them to no avail. 

Sarah couldn't stand for it any longer. She had to do something. Without thinking, she leapt out from her hiding place and threw anything she could grasp at the creatures; rocks, dirt, pine cones. All the while she screamed and grunted incoherent noises in an attempt to frighten them off.

The three wicked girls turned on Sarah and charged her. Before she could tell her feet to run the other way they pounced. Sarah was wrestled to the ground and somehow knocked out. The next thing she knew, she was hanging upside down right next to Jareth.

TBC…


	12. A Riddle

Three red-faced sprite girls with mossy hair chattered away by their bonfire. They laughed and sang and threw acorns into the flames, which popped and they cheered.

Sarah could feel all the blood rushing to her head as she hung by her throbbing ankles. She wondered, as she watched the girls, if she too would have a red face like them by the time she was let down. 

"Sarah," Jareth whispered softly. The young woman gently turned her head toward him. She could see by the light of the fire that his scratches now bore dried blood and some bruising was forming. 

"That was quite the attempt at chivalry," he commented, "Although I must say your plan could have used, well, more planning."

"You decide that this is the best time to make an issue out my botched rescue," she retorted. "Jareth what about getting us out of here?"

"Well I was so good at getting myself out of this mess. I suppose getting us both out will be a breeze," Jareth said flatly.

Sarah sighed and tried to free her hands from the twine, which bond them. No luck, only pain came from her efforts. "Jareth, I heard you say that these things are some kind of guardians for the Oracle?"

"Yes, that's right. Why do you have an idea?" He faintly raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I was thinking that according to most situations, like in your labyrinth, guardians usually have a riddle or puzzle they ask. And if the person answers correctly they can go on their way."

"I suppose it's possible," he considered the idea a moment. Jareth knew that demands didn't work and he did have quite a few his own Dead Ends and Door Keepers had used riddles. Perhaps she was right and if she was, Sarah had gotten past all of his tricks and by passes, so maybe she could do it now. Why hadn't he thought of it? "Cleaver girl, give it a try."

Sarah smiled and Jareth felt a hundred times better just from seeing her lips curve. "Oh wood sprites," she called. "I have a proposition for you."

The three girls stopped their acorn throwing and came over to the two captives. "What that you say?" asked the first one. "Got a 'position?" she said poking at one of Jareth's wounds as he winced.

Sarah's eyes narrowed. "Yes, I propose that you offer us a test, a riddle. If we can solve it to your satisfaction, you will let us both go free."

"Not only that, but rather, take us to the Oracle," added Jareth.

The mossy heads thought about it a moment, but then agreed. Wood sprites love mischief and games. This challenge should prove to be both for them, or at least more enjoyable than cutting down a couple of corpses in the morning.

"Good," said Sarah. "Now, tell us your riddle." She swallowed hoping that her head would stay clear enough to answer whatever they asked.

The middle sprite stepped forward and looked Sarah straight in the eye. "Only you, girlie, may answer." Sarah reluctantly nodded. Satisfied the sprite continued. "Our riddle is this: What is your companion's true form?"

"Excuse me?" asked Sarah with bewilderment. "What do you mean?"

"You have three tries, only," said the third girl. "And he may say nothing."

Jareth knew Sarah was cocky enough to believe she knew the answer. When her eyes lit up suddenly, Jareth knew it was all over. "Oh damn," he cursed.

"Hush!" Hissed the first sprite. "Say nothing!"

"Well…" Sarah thought she knew and was eager to say. So eager that she missed the pleading look on Jareth's face. "He's the Goblin King. So he must be a goblin," she stated proudly.

Jareth felt ill. The three red-faced girls shook their heads in unison. Sarah's enthusiasm wasn't crushed yet. "Ok, then you're some kind of Fairy, right?"

Had she forgotten their conversation where he said he had no idea where he'd come from? He rationalised that it was all the blood rushing in her brain and he would not kill her if they got out alive. He bit his tongue so to not yell at her. These were servants of the Oracle, himself. They alone would be privilege to knowing his past and the correct answer.

Sarah furrowed her brow. "Hmmm. I have one last chance to get this," she said to herself. She looked to Jareth and he looked helpless, which unnerved her. Then it came to her. She knew it was one of two answers. Then she chided herself for wasting her last silly answer. 

Something inside her reminded her that Jareth himself didn't know. So either that was the answer and it was a trick question, or there really was an answer. But which should she say?

She took a chance and said them both. First she said, "Well, Jareth himself doesn't know, so how should I know?"

The girls didn't show any sign that that was it. So, taking a deep breath Sarah took her last guess. "An owl." That was it, plain and simple.

The sprites giggled and danced, hooking their arms and spinning. Sarah frantically looked back to Jareth who was now shaking his head. Then she remembered that she'd forgotten to make terms if they lost, but by the expression in Jareth's eyes the outlook wasn't good.

Suddenly, the creatures stopped their merriment and one pulled out a large blade as if from nowhere. She held it high above her head, bent her arm back and was ready to strike. As the arm came swiftly forward Sarah didn't even have time to breath let alone say goodbye to the man hanging next to her. She closed her eyes tightly as she heard the steal cut the air and slice into something hard. In a heartbeat Sarah fell to the ground.

A second later another blade was thrown and Jareth fell next to her. "Very good," said the middle wood sprite. "You must be one of the few who know." She winked at Jareth, then all three giggled and the forest grew dark and hazy.

Sarah was too confused to think. She had gotten it right? Then in a flash, the forest became a room. The room was more like a great hall decorated for a formal, royal event. 

Jareth and Sarah were magically clean and dressed properly, Sarah's hair neatly up in a bun. Jareth wore blue velvet and all signs of his wounds were gone. Sarah also noticed the pain in her ankle was gone. Jareth whirled around and took her in his arms. Holding her tightly to him, she could hear his heart pounding. 

"We did it. I don't believe it," he said spinning her. He then put Sarah back on her feet, however her knees were weak and she almost fell. Jareth caught her by the shoulders. "You cleaver little minx. I always knew you were the one to match anything this world could throw at you."

Sarah recovered her senses. She gazed into his mismatched eyes and felt strangely aware of how close she felt to this man she barely knew. "An owl?" She repeated.

"What?" He asked not quite catching her words.

"I said you were an owl. Is that your true form?" She looked at him oddly. Jareth moved a step back awkwardly.

"Yes, well. They were wood sprites, Sarah. Any animal form would be a _true_ form to them. Nothing is truer than nature," he rationalised.

Sarah seemed satisfied for the moment, which was good because at that exact same moment a pair of grand doors swung open and a golden skinned man with wild red hair swaggered into the hall.

The golden figure approached. "How may I help you, Jareth the Nobody and Sarah the Somebody?" he asked in a powerful, yet kind, voice.

Sarah gasped in awe. "Are you the Oracle we've come so far to speak to?" she asked evenly.

"Yes, Sarah of New England. I am the Oracle," he confirmed with a grin.

TBC…


	13. More Confussion

LOOK AT WHAT I REDISCOVERED!

Boy it's been a long time since I wrote any of this story…so I guess I'll take a vote on who wants more….

Here's a quick insert!

MayRaven

Sarah stood perfectly still. Her wasn't sure of what to do next. Was it proper to just blurt out a question to the Oracle without being asked? Jareth noticed her staring and nudged her side. Sarah took an involuntary step forward and almost fell into the gold-skinned man before them. Fortunately, she caught herself in time and smiled widely.

The Oracle smiled back and motioned for them to have to seat by the large fire place at the far end of the room. Jareth chose to sit in an elegant armchair, while Sarah relaxed on a large feather pillow by the hearth. The Oracle took his seat in what looked like a modest wooden thrown.

For some time there was nothing but silence between them. Sarah wanted to feel at ease but she couldn't help the hum of anxiety that ran through her when her eyes met those of the Oracle. He seemed kind and welcoming but things were not always as they appeared here in the Underground. Glancing over at Jareth she noticed he too was agitated with anticipation of something. It would be rude of him, she thought, to begin speaking before the Oracle had invited a conversation. At this Sarah smiled inwardly. Jareth was now getting a dose of his own regal medicine.

After what felt to be an eternity the Oracle stopped grinning with warm kindness and spoke. "Now that you both have had the chance to rest your weary bodies I will tell you this," he said rising from his thrown. Sarah remained seated by the fire while Jareth rose to meet the golden gaze of the Oracle. "You, Jareth, Former Goblin King, care a great deal too much what happens to a kingdom you never desired to rule. I advise you to turn back now before you realize the true consequences of this young woman's quest."

Jareth opened his mouth to response, but before any audible sound left his parted lips Sarah shot straight up off her cushion and shouted, "That's none of your concern if he helps me! I thought you were supposed to be on our side! We came to you for help, all this way, and that's all you have to say! Go back before it's too late? Where have I heard that before?"

Jareth rolled his eyes and held a gloved hand to his brow exasperated. "Sarah, the Oracle wasn't addressing you," he growled to the hot-tempered woman. "Now sit down and be still."

"Sarah," the Oracle said in a calm even tone, "My wisdom for you is to forget about Jareth. He is a broken thing who can no longer help you on your journey. I never said I was on anyone's side of things. In fact it would be quite unsuitable to be strictly on any one side of any matter. I would lose perspective of all matters of existence. Would you not agree?"

Sarah had no choice but to nod dumbly at this fact. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the golden figure gracefully cross the room.

"I can tell you where to find your bother, Sarah," he stated without feeling.

Her eyes widened in excitement. "Where? How can I get to him?" she cried.

"All in good time," the Oracle sighed. "For now rest more. I had rooms prepared in anticipation of your arrival. Please make use of them and we shall talk further in the morning." With that the Oracle departed and left the two travelers staring at each other.

Suddenly Sarah stormed away from Jareth. "Where are you going?" he inquired knowing fair well what her intensions were.

"I'm going after him. You know," she said facing Jareth, "you magic regal types are all the same. Everything has to be done _your way_ or no way at all."

As she made for the exit again Jareth took hold of her arm. "You can't go after the Oracle, Sarah."

"Why not? You may be willing to sit here and let him demean you and order you around, but my brother needs me and I've wasted enough time already. Besides I couldn't sleep now."

"What that golden giant says is the truth as he sees it. And if you want to get anything further from him you'll do as he asks."

"Toby could be in danger. He could be lying half dead in a dungeon somewhere or hanging upside-down being poked at by wood sprites! I'm not waiting any longer!"

"Sarah. You are being irrational, as per usual. However I think in this case you should rethink your decisions before you make them."

"I've made up my mind," she pulled away from him with gritted teeth.

She ran off through the doors at the far end of the enormous hall. On the other side was a tiny, dimly lit corridor with only one other door way. That room too was very dark and Sarah had to fully enter through the doorway to see what was inside. It was a simple room with simple wood furniture; mainly a small wardrobe and a low bed. When she turned around to return to Jareth waiting in the grand hall the door had disappeared leaving a blank wall.

Sarah pounded furiously at the solid wall. Her panicking green eyes scanned the room in hopes of some other way out. When she realized she was trapped, she flung herself on the bed and burst into tears. Sarah's emotional collapse was both from frustration and exhaustion.

Her mind raced. How would she get to Toby now? Why did she trust Jareth to help her? What good had come out of it? None so far. She wished she'd left him in that goblin bar and stayed with Hoggle from the get go. Then in mid-sob Sarah heard a door creek open into the room. Raising her flushed wet face she saw Jareth enter.

"I can't believe you really went after him, though I knew you wouldn't find him," he was saying.

Before Sarah could scream "STOP!" the door flew shut and disappeared again.

"What?" he jumped, shocked by her outcry. He turned to see the blank wall and cursed inwardly at himself. "Should have known," he sighed.

Jareth sat down next to Sarah on the bed. With a moan of grief Sarah buried her head back into the pillow. The former King stroked her long dark locks and tried to comfort her. Forgetting for a moment who this man was and where they were, Sarah allowed herself to enjoy the soothing motions and relaxed ever so slightly. Feeling the tension leave the young woman's shoulders Jareth moved his rhythmic stroking down to rub her lower back. It was after only a few moments of this that Sarah lifted her head to regard Jareth.

"What are you doing?" she asked, nose wrinkled in slight disgust.

Jareth took pause and moved his hand away. "Nothing," he said innocently. "I thought you liked it."

"I did. I mean I do, but why are _you_ doing that to me?"

"Should I not?" He looked at her in confusion as though their situation was natural.

"Jareth!" Sarah laughed awkwardly rolling onto her side. "You and I, we aren't exactly friends. We don't even like each other."

"Are you sure about that? You seemed to like me just fine when you kissed me the other morning under that fallen tree," he teased.

Sarah was shocked. She'd thought he was sleeping when she'd kissed him. "That was a mistake," she retorted. "I would never do that now."

"No?" he smirked. "I bet you would."

"No I wouldn't so don't you try anything."

"Me? Never," he winked.

Sarah blushed and pushed him off the bed. Luckily the frame was so low to the ground that Jareth barely fell at all. "We should get some sleep. You take the floor and I'll take the bed."

Jareth stood dusting himself off, suddenly taking a regal air. "I don't think so, Sarah. I do _not _sleep on floors," he stated sternly. "Either we share the bed or _you_ take the floor."

Sarah could see he was serious; all humour had left the man's tone. Sarah huffed and grabbed the top blanket and a pillow. "Fine," she declared, " you take the bed _Your Majesty_. And I will humbly take the hard, cold floor."

"Come, come now, Sarah," he chided. "I promise I will be a perfect gentleman. There really is no need for you to be a martyr here."

Ignoring Jareth's request, Sarah settled herself on the old floor. "Good night, Jareth," she said flatly.

"You really are as stubborn as a mule," he grumbled blowing out the few candles that lit the small room. "What happened to the little minx?"

TBC…


	14. The Dark Room

Hello faithful readers. I have more for you and I hope it was worth the wait. More angst awaits our heroes. This chapter should be much more satisfying than the last. MayRaven

Sarah couldn't sleep. Every time she began to doze a cramp formed in her leg and her side would go numb. In the darkened room her form twisted and turned restlessly. Jareth could not see her through the darkness, but heard her agitation.

"This is ludicrous," he whispered, barely awake.

"You're telling me," Sarah yawned in agreement. Wrestling the one blanket that was never quite covering her. Giving up, she lay flat on her back. "I can't believe we seriously have to make due until morning. This is not my idea of rest," she huffed.

Jareth smiled devilishly to himself in the dark. "There is something _else_ we could do until morning if sleep truly eludes you."

Sarah heard the silky tones in the man's voice and she didn't like it. "I haven't given up yet," she grumbled with a rustling of fabric as she rolled on her side once more. For a moment there was no reply from Jareth and Sarah was satisfied. She blinked at the nothingness before her eyes; however upon reopening her eyes Sarah swore there was a form next to her.

"Really Sarah," Jareth whispered lying next to her. Sarah's skin jumped from her bones. "Are you this stubborn in all aspects of your life?" he asked coyly

Sarah flopped onto her back again as Jareth lifted himself on his elbow intently. "I don't think that _my life_ is any of your concern."

"Oh, is that so? I was simply curious as to how you got on with your husband? Boyfriend? Significant other? You see we haven't really addressed that, you and I, not since you've been back. I can't imagine a pretty thing like you alone and unloved all this time."

Sarah remained silent staring up at what would be the ceiling if she could see it. Jareth traced a finger along her arm to get her attention and she promptly knocked it away. "That's it then? I don't deserve to know you?" After a pause he continued, "I know you're a writer, you told me that much. What is it you write exactly?"

Sarah sighed, "If you must know I write children's stories about monsters and nightmares."

"Humph, that's awfully grim. No fairytales and princesses anymore? Did you lose interest or just your faith?" Jareth prodded.

Angrily Sarah flipped herself to face the former Goblin King. "What do you care? You gave up didn't you? You lost your kingdom, your goblins, your powers, you lost everything and you haven't done anything to get any of it back! Have you?"

"No, I never cared until…until you were suddenly back in my life and I had no choice but to look at how pathetic I'd let it become. So, thank you. Thank you Sarah for shedding light on the piteous cavern of nothing my very existence has become."

"I'm sorry," said Sarah, her voice barely audible. "I'm not really angry at you. I didn't mean those things. I need to get Toby back and it isn't your fault this time. Forgive me."

There she'd said it. For her angry words just now or for her harmful words all those years ago. Jareth wasn't sure, but her apology felt genuine and it was all he'd longed for, some feeling of her remorse. He smiled hoping Sarah could see. Then he boldly ungloved his left hand and caressed Sarah's warm cheek with naked fingers. Instantly Sarah understood this man's gesture and she felt at ease. All of her anger and frustration melted away. Things had happened in both their lives since they'd last been so intimate, but none of that matter in this moment. Sarah was overwhelmed with a feeling of coming home and she willingly folded into Jareth's embrace. He kissed her, softly at first and then deeper. With one fluid motion the former Goblin King lifted Sarah in his arms and lay her gently on the low mattress.

Jareth traced the line of Sarah's neck with delicate kisses and slipped his bare hand under her blouse. She moaned in full response when he undid her buttons and passionately enraptured her breasts. Sarah in turn ran her hands through Jareth's blond locks and massaged his neck and back. Then quite forcefully she brought his face back to hers and they kissed once more.

As the night bore on, Jareth and Sarah made love in that small pitch room in the recesses of the Oracle's fortress. Sarah had never felt more loved or desired in her entire adult life. They moved rhythmically as one until they collapsed in ecstasy Jareth fell asleep with his head resting peacefully on Sarah's chest where she held him until she too fell into a deep slumber.

The next morning a blinding light piercing through the doorway, which had magically re-appeared, woke Sarah and Jareth. A very short and stout servant waited while they awkwardly dressed to escort them to the Oracle. Neither one said a word to the other. Sarah secretly thought that the Oracle must have known what was going to happen between Jareth and herself. She blushed at this thought and tried to hide her face.

Upon arriving in the grand hall the servant turned abruptly and left. Once alone with the golden Oracle, Sarah and Jareth were invited to sit and feast at a large banquet table filled with fruits, freshly baked breads, nuts of all kinds and exotic wines. Sarah found this a bit more than she was accustomed for breakfast, but she'd had a rigorous night and felt surprisingly hungry.

The three ate in silence. Sarah tried not to look at Jareth for fear that she'd see something deceitful reflected in his expression. And she couldn't bear to look at the Oracle knowing that he knew what they'd done. This made her feel like she'd committed a great sin, which was not sitting easy with her. In fact now she began to feel ill.

Jareth noticed Sarah place her cutlery down and stare into her lap. Resentful that they had not been given time to speak before their rude awakening he desperately wanted to sooth her, but knew that would be inappropriate in front of the Oracle.

When breakfast was over, the oracle moved their party by the large fire. He sat contently and allowed their conversation from the previous night to continue.

"Now, Miss Sarah, we were addressing the issue of finding your brother," said the Oracle in one lyrical breath.

Sarah's eyes brightened. "Yes, I asked you how I could find him."

"The answer is simple. You simply need to find Hope."

Sarah blinked back tears. Suddenly the stress was getting the better of her. Was this some kind of cryptic joke? She just wanted her little brother back.

"What exactly does that mean?" asked Jareth putting a gloved hand on Sarah's knee to calm her.

The Oracle sniffed at Jareth's gesture and chose to ignore it. "I simply mean that by finding the one named Hope you will find the one name Toby."

"Oh, the one _named _Hope," repeated Jareth rubbing Sarah's knee roughly. "You se it's that simple."

However Sarah was unsatisfied. "How do we find this _Hope_ person?"

"To find her you only have to ask an old comrade or yours, my girl."

"And who would that be?" asked Sarah with a quiver in her voice, eyes darting at Jareth, who could only shrug.

"I believe his name is Hoggle," smiled the Oracle, all pearly teeth shimmering between his equally sparkling lips.

"Hoggle?" Sarah and Jareth spoke simultaneously.

"Why yes. He holds the key to your journey. With your desires answered, I do have other matters to attend to."

Sarah stared at the flickering flames of the fire while Jareth rose and bowed as the Oracle left them. Yes, her desires had been answered, but somehow she felt worse than before she'd come to the fortress.

"Come Sarah, we have a dwarf to interrogate and possibly skin alive," said Jareth offering an arm.

"I don't understand," Sarah whispered. "How could Hoggle have known all this time and not told me?"

"It just goes to show you that you can't always trust even the closest of friends."

Jareth's comment made Sarah shudder. If even Hoggle couldn't be trusted, why should Jareth? She suddenly felt as though the floor had been pulled out from under her and she was falling.

"Fine let's go then," she said finally. "Hoggle must have some good reason to have betrayed me."

As Sarah stood trying to rally what resolve she had left Jareth thought to himself, _It didn't take much from him to betray my trust. What makes her think she's any different?_ However he kept this to himself seeing that Sarah was already visibly unnerved.

TBC…Reviews pleaseJ


	15. Into The Labyrinth

* * *

More you say? Here it is…. More! MayRaven

* * *

Down in the Underground, a land serene, a silver moon rose to the heavens. Beneath it's ghostly light dark creatures moved and supernatural forces rumbled through the ruins of the once magnificent Labyrinth. Fallen walls seemed to rise and repair themselves until level upon level the entity of stone and mortar grew, spirally inward toward the Goblin City, encasing the castle of the once all-powerful Goblin King. All the while, a witch danced around a blazing bon-fire chanting in a language as ancient as the Labyrinth itself. A figure of unearthly beauty wove her incantation into the cold night air summoning a force beyond any ever in her possession.

* * *

Sarah and Jareth made their return to the Goblin City, or so they would have if a newly erected barrier wall hadn't stopped them dead in their tracks. It took both a moment to realise the true gravity of what they were seeing. Jareth took a few steps back to examine the structure and get an idea of how far it extended in either direction.

"I don't believe it," Jareth breathed awe struck. "The Labyrinth is standing."

Sarah glared at the wall and then at Jareth. "How can it be? You've been with me all this time. And isn't this wall much further outward than before?" she asked stepping back to Jareth's vantage point. "I mean we shouldn't see ruins for another mile at least."

"I dare say you're right in your thinking, Sarah," said Jareth with a tilt of his head toward her. The young woman smiled grimly.

"So, what does this mean?"

Jareth sighed and kicked at a nearby rock. "It means we cannot make it back to the Goblin City without entering the Labyrinth. And if we do that it will take ages to get anywhere. This wall is evidence that things are changing in there and I'd say not for the better. We'd best go around and try to find that unseemly little dwarf another way."

"Going around could also take forever!" pouted Sarah. "Damn! It must be that Hope person. She must be the one rising to power."

Sarah pulled out the magic compass and asked for it to show her the way to the goblin city. Sadly, the needle pointed directly at the barrier wall. Sarah grumbled and asked for a door. The needle spun again and pointed a few yards down the wall on her left. Sarah followed and found a hidden hole under a spiny vine growing through the stone. She laughed triumphantly and climbed through. Jareth rolled his eyes knowing he had no choice but to climb in after her.

Once on the other side of the Labyrinth's outer wall Sarah continued to cheat asking for a door leading to the next level into the great maze. Sarah was on a roll and didn't seem to notice Jareth trailing behind mumbling to himself about how she was bound to get them both killed.

"It's actually easier than a piece of cake!" she delighted, tossing the compass up in the air and catching it. "I should have had one of these last time!" she called back to Jareth who shook his head, always keeping a few paces behind. He was keeping watch all around them, waiting for their doom to catch them.

"Things don't even look that different. Actually they seem smaller," she mused.

It took only a couple of hours to reach the interchangeable section of the Labyrinth. However, with the help of the compass they never got lost and no turn was dead end. Sarah became more and more full of herself as she continued asking for directions and finding her way easily through the Labyrinth.

Sarah was so confident she ran ahead like a child, almost skipping, until suddenly she dropped flat to the stones. She'd tripped on a lifted rotating cobblestone, moved by a tiny disgruntled man. He swore and cursed at her even after she lay face first on the ground.

Jareth ran over to her trying desperately not to laugh. Sarah's nose bled and her palms were scraped. Wiping a tear of pain away with a dirty hand she realised that the compass was gone. Frantically she searched all around them. Jareth wanted her to keep still to see if she was physically sound, but Sarah trashed around like a mad woman.

"Sarah leave it!" he urged. "We'll find it just let me look at your injuries."

She wanted to cry. She wanted to hurt Jareth. Sarah _had_ to find the compass. She just had to!

"We don't need it, Sarah. I can get us through," said Jareth in an attempt to calm the desperate girl.

Then she saw it! The tiny mean man had it and he was pulling it under his stone waving a fist at the two of them. Sarah leapt for him, but it was too late. She screamed as though in agony.

"NO! I NEED THAT COMPASS!" she cried. "I feel so lost without it! What will I do without it?"

It was then that Jareth remembered that magical objects often had this effect on mortals. If they possessed, or used them for too long they became helpless to them, almost obsessive. That was why Sarah had been so giddy and carefree. Jareth silently chided himself for not taking notice sooner.

"Let it go," he soothed. "You don't need it. It was using you, feeding on your need to know your way."

Jareth pulled Sarah to him. As if in a trance, Sarah sat shaking in his arms while he cradled her. It was as though she were all alone and lost in darkness. Jareth wiped away the tears and blood from her face. "Don't give up on me," he said whispering in her ear. "I do believe in you."

* * *

Toby didn't know how long he'd been in the Underground and now that he was with _her _it didn't matter. He would remain here in this small cottage forever if he could only be near _her_.

Hope had given the boy news of his sister. He was told how Sarah had been seduced by the Goblin King and was under his spell. Toby's eyes narrowed as his mind worked to find a way of exacting the perfect revenge on the villain who'd haunted his nightmares all these years and now possessed his beloved sister.

TBC


	16. Doubts

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Sorry everyone! Life got busy but I hope to have more soon! I'm not giving up yet!

Here's the second half of that scene. Thanks again for the reviews! MayRaven

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The hours that followed the loss of the compass were quiet and bleak. The Labyrinth was surprisingly disserted. There weren't any signs of goblins or their kin of any kind. Jareth lead the way at a steady pace, Sarah reluctantly fallowing behind him. The former Goblin King had done his best to raise the young woman's spirits, but a part of her had already been affected by a dark magic and the damage was done.

Sarah felt a new, sorrowed understanding of herself. She'd been forced to see inside herself and how alone and lost she'd been all these years. Even now, here with Jareth, she felt distanced and distraught. Knowing she should be concerned about her brother, the best part of her life, Sarah couldn't help the desire to give up that now filled her heart.

Suddenly, Sarah stopped in her tracts and leaned against a green hedge. Jareth stood by her and looked to the sky. The clouds were turning violently and a wind was picking up. This made him uneasy and Jareth tried to get Sarah to move along. As he touched her shoulder she shrank to the ground.

"Come, come now!" he urged. "We can't give up. We've come so far already. Toby is counting on you."

"Why should he?" Sarah questioned with a shrug. "How could he even know I'm coming for him?"

"He knows you'll always come for him. Of that I'm certain," he smiled. "Now," he continued hastily, "we'll make it to the Dark Forest before that storm hits, but only if you come with me now."

"What's the point?" Sarah sobbed. "He doesn't really need me. No one needs me. I don't even need me." Her tears flowed openly once more and she hid her face in her hands.

Jareth shifted on his feet and looked around. Then, quite indignantly he crouched next to the weeping woman and pulled back her matted tresses. "Trust me, please," he begged, "you are indeed needed." Sarah continued her sobbing and after a pause he added, "I _need _you."

Stopping mid sob, Sarah lifted her head and wiped her tears. Her eyes narrowed maliciously. "Why? Why do you need me?" she demanded. "I know you were just taking advantage of me before."

"What?" Jareth breathed in disbelief. "I did no such thing."

"Sure you did. You got your way with me after all these years. Finally, you bedded the one foolish girl who broke your heart and got away." Her tone took a sardonic curve and Jareth stood to create some distance between himself and the cruel words that stabbed his pride.

"You can't believe that. Your feelings have been turned rotten by that enchanted thing you praised so well. I would never treat you so poorly. Everything I did on your last trip through this Labyrinth was for you. And yes, you may have broken my heart, but I promised myself then that I would never do the same to you no matter how badly you'd ruined me."

Sarah was dumbfounded. "I broke your heart?"

"Well, yes," he answered plainly.

Sarah got up off the ground and stared intently into the fair man's mismatched eyes. "I didn't mean all those nasty things I said," she whispered.

"You know that's the second time that's happened," observed Jareth with a smirk. "Either you start watching what you say, or I'm going to have to stop forgiving these angry outbursts."

"Oh, Jareth, I'm so sorry," she said kissing Jareth deeply. Although her heart still ached with feelings of loss and abandonment, Sarah did feel safe once more in this man's embrace.

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More soon! 


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